Battery chargers Help!
- Thread starter JKay
- Start date
BartW
Well-Known Member
This car charger is meant to charge a car battery as fast as possible, but not to be connected permanently.
If you have this charger connected for a long time, f.e. during several days, the high charging current will damage or chorten the lifetime of your battery
The boat charger is programmable, the charge current will be different depending on the condition of the battery. when the battery is full, the battery charger will only give a very small charge current "drip loader" to maintain a full battery.
What I can see also, this model has 3 isolated outputs, for charging the 2 or 3 battery's you have on board, without connecting them in parallel !
If you have this charger connected for a long time, f.e. during several days, the high charging current will damage or chorten the lifetime of your battery
The boat charger is programmable, the charge current will be different depending on the condition of the battery. when the battery is full, the battery charger will only give a very small charge current "drip loader" to maintain a full battery.
What I can see also, this model has 3 isolated outputs, for charging the 2 or 3 battery's you have on board, without connecting them in parallel !
hlb
RIP
Depends what your looking for. As said above. If you just need to zap the batteries up. Use the car charger.
However. If you want the boat happy on shore power for months. Get a propper one.
However. If you want the boat happy on shore power for months. Get a propper one.
blueglass
Well-Known Member
you don't necessarily need a "marine" charger. You can get car type chargers with long term float charge facilty for fraction of price I had a £30 one frpm argos on my last boat for years. no problems.
Garryt
Well-Known Member
I've got a charger from my F43.
I've got an inverter which charges the batteries and conditions them, so I don't need it any more. I was going to put it on eBay, but you can have it for a nominal fee if you want it. Very heavy though, so carriage would be a bit "heavy" /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
PM me if you're interested.
Garry
I've got an inverter which charges the batteries and conditions them, so I don't need it any more. I was going to put it on eBay, but you can have it for a nominal fee if you want it. Very heavy though, so carriage would be a bit "heavy" /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
PM me if you're interested.
Garry
DAKA
Well-Known Member
Car charger
will charge one battery at a time to 95%
can not charge two as the full charge one will always hog all the power.
Should not be left connected while drawing a lot of power.....engine cranking and several hours of eberspacher or it will over heat and cut out.
It is not designed to do this on a regular basis.
Boat charger
can charge several batteries as they are connected separately and as one is charged it will charge the next.
Only charges to 75% 80%. This is to stop too much Explosive Hydrogen gas being released into your boat.
Can provide more power on a continuous basis, running eberspacher for severals hours no problem.
If you want a charger for your garage to look after one battery at a time over winter then buy the car one.
If you want to fit a charger to your boat then best buy the boat one.
I had two machine mart ones on my last boat to charge 3 batteries, I fitted a switch to the charging leads so I could direct the chargers, and also a main battery switch so I could isolate the batteries
It worked well but you need to be dedicated to keep flicking switches.
will charge one battery at a time to 95%
can not charge two as the full charge one will always hog all the power.
Should not be left connected while drawing a lot of power.....engine cranking and several hours of eberspacher or it will over heat and cut out.
It is not designed to do this on a regular basis.
Boat charger
can charge several batteries as they are connected separately and as one is charged it will charge the next.
Only charges to 75% 80%. This is to stop too much Explosive Hydrogen gas being released into your boat.
Can provide more power on a continuous basis, running eberspacher for severals hours no problem.
If you want a charger for your garage to look after one battery at a time over winter then buy the car one.
If you want to fit a charger to your boat then best buy the boat one.
I had two machine mart ones on my last boat to charge 3 batteries, I fitted a switch to the charging leads so I could direct the chargers, and also a main battery switch so I could isolate the batteries
It worked well but you need to be dedicated to keep flicking switches.
gandy
Well-Known Member
One difference is that the Sterling in your example has three separate battery outputs. Sterlings single-output "Budget" chargers don't cost as much.
ccscott49
Well-Known Member
Beg to differ, my boat chargers charge to considerably more than 75 to 80%, mine will achive more like 95% they are designed to do that, however they are mastervolt and victron chargers, which do cost a bit more!
Nat
Well-Known Member
Ive had that particular charger on my boat for the last 2 years. It works fine & keeps the batteries charged 3 x 105ah's reading 12.9 to 13.4 with the fridge running. When I leave the boat for any length of time ie over 6 weeks with everything switched off.I have a 24hr timer that switches charger on for 1 hr every 24hrs on the low rate, this makes sure the batteries are always charged when I return. Anything less than this I just isolate eveything exept the auto bilge pumps.
Nat.
Nat.
JKay
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the input Guys really appreciated
Nat which one?
Cheers Joe
Nat which one?
Cheers Joe
Nat
Well-Known Member
The BC100n
Bought it when my Victron went up the wall. Does the same job at a 5th of the price. Fitted it in the cuboard behind the control panel.Would have bought the next size up but it wouldnt fit in the space. When I visit the boat I leave it on & it keeps the batteries charged with the fridge running, use of electric toilet & cabin lights ect. Dont forget Im in the med, in the summer it has to work harder due to the heat but it does the job ok.
Nat
Bought it when my Victron went up the wall. Does the same job at a 5th of the price. Fitted it in the cuboard behind the control panel.Would have bought the next size up but it wouldnt fit in the space. When I visit the boat I leave it on & it keeps the batteries charged with the fridge running, use of electric toilet & cabin lights ect. Dont forget Im in the med, in the summer it has to work harder due to the heat but it does the job ok.
Nat
